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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625834">Nevermind the Scars</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gatorade_blade/pseuds/Gatorade_blade'>Gatorade_blade</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hermitcraft RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, I'm Bad At Tagging, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Oblivious, One Shot, Redstone Burn, Respawn Mechanics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:27:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,531</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625834</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gatorade_blade/pseuds/Gatorade_blade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Beef gets a redstone burn treated by Etho and learns something about the other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Etho/Daniel M. | VintageBeef</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>77</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Nevermind the Scars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this in November and completely forgot about it,, haha whoops</p>
<p>(Takes place back when Beef first started 3 Fox Hole)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ever since Beef had started working on Three Fox Hole, he’s found himself much busier. Exploring the new builds and designs, new ways to make the area look as claustrophobic yet futuristic as possible at the same time. And it was fun! It was a breath of fresh air in comparison to how repetitive and comfortable the Hacienda and resort had gotten. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>But there was always one thing, one problem he kept finding despite his apparent knowledge over it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Redstone</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Now, Beef was by no means a </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad </span>
  </em>
  <span>redstoner, but by no means was he as good as he liked to joke that he was. He was a builder by heart. He found peace in design and making a house into a home, not intricate circuits and technology. But with this new project, and his aim to make everything seem high tech, he pushed himself to incorporate redstone all around the area.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That brought him to right now, he was working on a circuit for a light up sign which he knew would look absolutely amazing. If only he could figure out what he was doing. He huffed as he attempted to connect the dust together into a steady flow of energy before dropping some onto his exposed forearm. He hissed at the unfamiliar stinging of the redstone, recoiling back into himself as his gloved hands clenched against his palms. He’d never understand how redstoners get used to that sting to the point where they don’t need the protection of gloves to save their skin from the burning pain. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef cursed under his breath as he quickly rushed to finish the trail of redstone, figuring he’d fix the timing later, once he’d treated the burn on his arm where the activated redstone had hit him. He rose from where he had been crouching and pulled off his gloves, dusting off his pants and starting to fly off to his temporary base of the small cave he stored all of his items in. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He slumped down on his bed with a small huff before pulling out a piece of wool and dampening it with water, patting at his redend skin as he hissed at the stinging pain. He was brought from his train of thought when his communicator dinged in the quiet of his base, he glanced over to where he had dropped it on his pillow. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>&lt;Etho&gt; Hey Beefers! Mind if I drop by 3 Fox Hole?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef sighed as he let out a breathy laugh, Etho just loved visiting him, didn’t he? The brunette shot back a quick reply, saying he didn’t mind the visit, and read over the message a few times before placing the communicator back down. He smiled to himself before he absentmindedly went back to treating his wound, despite the fact that his thoughts were set on something else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Or rather, </span>
  <em>
    <span>someone </span>
  </em>
  <span>else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef had a little more than just a small crush on his best friend, in fact, make it a </span>
  <em>
    <span>huge </span>
  </em>
  <span>crush. But he preferred to just keep those feelings to himself. The two were both much too busy with their own things to worry about something between them as more than just friends. Plus, Etho probably didn’t even like Beef like that. Etho was mischievous and calculated, he was a redstone pioneer and all kinds of perfect, if he were to like anyone in a romantic connotation, it’d probably be some genius like Doc or something. Not a guy like Beef who whined about a simple redstone burn. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The sound of rockets firing overhead had Beef’s thoughts trail back to the task at hand, busying himself as he quickly tried to finish up. He could faintly hear the younger walking closer to the entrance of his base before he offered a quick glance, blue eyes meeting Etho’s mismatched pools of curiosity. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Good evening,” He smiled under his mask as he tucked his rockets away into his inventory and made his way over to sit beside Beef. As he plopped down onto the bed he bumped his knee with the other’s, humming as he inspected just as to what Beef was doing. “Redstone burn?” He questioned simply as his eyes trailed over Beef’s arm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef laughed humorlessly as he nodded, “Yup, it seems i’ve taught you well about redstone.” He joked half heartedly before Etho’s thin cold fingers gently wrapped around his arm and pulled him closer to inspect the wound. He fought back the blush on his tanned skin, but the heat in his ears was undeniably hot.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, you sure did.” Etho spoke sarcastically as his brows rose in amusement of the other, “Here, I have a healing potion on me, let me treat you.” He didn’t allow Beef to protest against him as he already pulled out the potion bottle, uncapping it before dampening the small cloth Beef had been using with the magical liquid and dabbed at the older’s arm. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was one last quick stinging before all pain started to dissipate away completely, a warm fuzz now replacing where the pain had once resided. Beef exhaled with a small smile, “Thanks E, do you always carry around potions with you?” He joked softly, not expecting a full answer from the said male. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Etho hummed in a quick thought, “Most of the time, I do. For the body aches.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That last statement had Beef quirking a confused brow, an undivided interest lacing his blue eyes as he tilted his head in the silent question. Why would Etho have body aches? He was plenty fit, Beef’s spent enough time ogling at him to know that much.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The look over Beef’s face must’ve spoken enough for him because Etho was looking away with a nearly embarrassed flush of his cheeks hidden behind his face mask, “I mean- you should start carrying them around too, you are older than me afterall.” He teased, diverting the attention off of him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef stammered at the comment before elbowing the younger’s side, “I’m not that much older than you!” The white haired male laughed to himself as he whined in a faint protest. Beef chuckled at the noise before they entered a quick comfortable silence, pressing his knee to the younger’s as his smile lingered on his lips. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Etho sighed, finally coming off of the high of his little laughing fit as he reeled back, fumbling with his fingers as he took in the short silence. He could feel blue eyes on him and bit on his lip at the undeniable feeling of blush rushing up to his pale skin, pigment flushing over his cheekbones. Not that Beef knew the reason behind the blush. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That poor fool</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d your skin get used to the heat anyway?” The question was soft and slow off of Beef’s lips, drawing Etho back into the moment. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The heat?” Etho was obviously unaware of what Beef was asking him before he allowed his eyes to trail down to the bandaged wound of Beef’s arm. “Oh, activated redstone- I think it was when I was designing the Hopper-Clock. I had to time the inputs and outputs of the redstone’s activation sequence, into a pliable frequency that would allow me to- I lost you, didn’t I?” Etho smiled to himself from beneath his mask as he watched the clear confusion on Beef’s face twist into an almost guilty look. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry- Yeah just a bit.” Beef rubbed at the back of his neck in a mild embarrassment, his gaze falling to the floor, “Sounded super interesting though-I’m sure it is. If I was some redstoner like Doc I’d probably get it more.” Beef gave a sheepish smile as he shifted his attention back over to Etho, blue eyes meeting red and grey before quickly getting lost in the muted sparkle behind the mysterious eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Hm, I guess that’s true. But I think you listen to me better than him.” Beef relished in the compliment, eyes growing soft as he melted into the other’s words. Etho’s softened in their own kind way before shutting into a tight wince. He wrapped his fingers around his shoulder, clutching to himself before groaning in irritation, “Sorry- can I borrow another wool piece?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef wasted no time to pull the said item out of his inventory, dropping it into Etho’s hand carefully as he watched Etho retrieve the healing potion for a second time, curiosity bubbling at the back of his head. This time he dipped the cloth into the bottle, soaking it in the pink substance before shifting to pull his green tactical vest off of his torso. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef swallowed dry as he averted his eyes from the other, trying to focus on the floor in front of him as if it was leagues more interesting than the male he just so happened to be hopelessly in love with stripping in front of him. But he allowed himself a moment’s glance back over to see Etho rubbing the drenched cloth into his still clothed shoulder. A question formed on Beef’s lips, but Etho seemed to get his own out first, “Um- I’m sorry if this seems odd. But can you help me get my shirt off? And- don’t look. Please.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef’s throat went dry as he coughed into his hand, trying to find words he could speak, but instead just opted for a quick ‘mhm’ as he slowly moved over to behind Etho and pressed his calloused fingers to the hem of Etho’s thin turtleneck. He was facing the younger’s back, but he could still see the muscles flex and contract as his arms shifted to work the shirt off of him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Now, Beef must’ve forgotten about that last part of Etho’s request, because the moment that he pulled the shirt over Etho’s lower waist, his eyes caught on the expanse of scars littering the male’s pale skin. Arrow wounds and sword slashes, healed burns and damaged tissue spread about his back and only exposed more and more as Beef pulled the rest of the dark blue cloth from the other’s body. He sat there in a baffled silence as he finally trailed his eyes up to see the shoulder that Etho was currently treating. A deep purple bruise aching the flesh as Etho winced and pressed the cloth into himself. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The bruising lightened up with every other second that the whitehaired male continued to press the health potion onto it. Beef pressed his lips together, craving to ask a question his brain couldn’t seem to calculate correctly. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t close your eyes, did you...?” Beef’s breath hitched at the small voice of the male in front of him. There was an obvious nervousness bubbling in the younger as he shifted where he sat uncomfortably, continuing to treat the bruised flesh. “I guess that makes sense, seeing as I’m the one in your house right now.” He laughed to himself humorlessly then twisted his torso around to meet Beef’s eyes. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The mask around Etho’s face was ever constant, ever present, as his eyes darkened in a hue that was practically frightened for an unpromised outcome. “My bad- It’s just- um...” Beef paused to regain his breath, moving himself over to sit back next to Etho. His knee bumped the other’s as he placed his hand over his eyes like a blindfold and exhaled quietly, “Can I... ask about it, I mean?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was another moment of silence, and if it were not for their connected contact by their legs pressing against each other’s, Beef might have just assumed that Etho had walked away, gone to treat his wound back at his base. But the familiar feeling of Etho’s leg against his own allowed him to breathe, patiently waiting for an answer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Finally, the silence broke with the sound of Etho humming to himself, “What would you like to ask?” Well, that itself was a loaded question. Where would Beef even start?</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Where’d you get those scars? Are those the causes of the body aches you were talking about earlier? Are you okay now? Do you need me to fetch a new healing potion? How do you still look so freakin hot? How have I never seen you without a shirt on when I've known you for so long? Do the scars still hurt? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A million and more questions flooded to his brain, but as he parted his mouth, he allowed only one to make its way to Etho’s ears, “Have I caused any of those?” It surprised Beef himself when it left his lips, his hand falling from his face. But judging by the way Beef saw the quick tensing of Etho’s body, he already knew the answer. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The arrow wound on my stomach. From an old event we were in.” His words were short and soft, barely over a whisper yet echoing in Beef’s brain like a hollow sound chamber. A deep, burning guilt and foregin pain started to bloom in Beef’s stomach, churning and bubbling in a  laying wait. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“But don’t you- y’know, </span>
  <em>
    <span>heal</span>
  </em>
  <span>, when we respawn?” Beef hesitated before tracing his fingers down Etho’s spine, shivering as his calloused hand felt each ridge and twitch of bones and muscles hiding under scarred flesh.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Etho took a moment before he eased into the touch, melting under the warm hand and pressing his back up to the feeling before speaking again, “Now I do. But back when I lived on Chocolate Island, or even when we were on Mindcrack, respawns never really healed me. I don’t really know why though. I’m guessing it’s some kind of error with me.” He smiled, despite the sad confusion lacing his heterochromatic eyes. “The aches are new though. I think my body is trying to catch up with the past wounds.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Beef could feel his heartbeat quicken, whether it be from the fact that he was so close to the younger or the sadness which shed in his pitying heart, his heart thumped against his rib cage so loud he could hear it through his redend ears. “I’m sorry about that.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Etho pressed his leg more firmly against Beef’s as he placed a hand on the holder's knee reassuringly, “Hey, nothing to apologize for. These kinda things just sorta happen sometimes- anyway, I didn’t come all this way just to whine about myself.” He stood in one quick motion, spinning on his heel so that he could still face the brunette, a twinkle in his mismatched eyes. “Let’s go to the shopping district.” He branched an innocent hand out to Beef, the gesture warm and lovely as Beef took the hand, rising from where he sat. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The shopping district?” The older male questioned as his blue eyes carefully followed the white haired male’s movements, pulling his shirt over his head and rolling his shoulder before fixing his vest back onto him. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mooshroom islands get the best sunsets.” Beef could practically feel the contagious smile under that ever present mask, his own toothy grin spreading on his lips. “C’mon.” The two wasted no more time and started to head off to the cowmercial district. Off to watch the sun set on another day in Hermitcraft. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Another day in their story together.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you enjoyed that! The ending is a bit abrupt but I wasn't quite sure how to end it, so that's just what you're gonna get lol.<br/>Also! the arrow wound part of the discussion is a reference to an old Mindcrack UHC (I think Season 4? I can't remember) and it's one of the only times I can remember Beef killing Etho during a UHC</p></blockquote></div></div>
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